Stopping freshly poured concrete from drying out too quickly is called curing. If left to dry of its own accord, concrete will not develop the full bond between all of its ingredients. It will be weaker and will crack more, and the surface may not be as hard as it should be.
The following are some useful concrete curing tips:
– The form work itself, if left in place or on the underneath of a suspended slab, stops the concrete drying out too quickly, and can be a curing agent.
– Spraying water on curing concrete prevents the surface of the concrete slab from drying faster than the bottom. A simple way to consistently keep water spraying onto the slab is with garden sprinklers or hand-held hose pipes.
– Using a plastic shield, which basically is a plastic sheet laid on top of the slab, to stop the evaporation process is one of the most efficient methods of curing concrete.
– Concrete curing oils or curing compounds can encourage fast drying and penetrating and are now available in a variety of types.
Preparing concrete is more challenging than it looks. A professional in the field is always a good idea. Hardscapes has experts who will help you with all your concrete projects. Just give us a call at 403-547-5597 and we’d be happy to come out to discuss your ideas and give you an estimate today.
Have you ever attempted to repair a crack in your concrete porch yourself? You likely discovered that this is not really a DIY situation!
Are you getting ready for winter? Are you cleaning out the garage of all the summer toys, yard equipment etc.?
If you have lived in your home for a number of years you might have to deal with broken concrete. Constant wear and tear from the environment, road salt and the dropping of heavy objects can cause cracking and pitting as well as permanent staining.